*FYI, I won’t be posting next week but will see you back here on Jan. 22. Blessings to all!

Mother of the Bride, even though it’s January and you may have just started a diet, it’s one of your MOB duties to think about cake—wedding cake that is. It may be the yummiest duty you have, so enjoy it while you can, okay?

I bet your bride-to-be-daughter will be happy to join you in your confection contemplations if she hasn’t already got her heart set on a certain cake design. If she’s still undecided, be sure to share today’s idea with her.

This cake covered in multicolor balls of buttercream icing (yum!) would be a fun design any time of year. The colors featured here would be perfect for a summer wedding, but if you’re planning a spring, fall, or winter wedding, just change up the color combination to fit the season—or the colors of the wedding.

What do you think, MOB—would this be something your daughter might go for? Have fun chatting about it and even more fun when it comes time for tasting!

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

Mother of the Bride, one of the fun parts of being an MOB is always being on the lookout for great engagement and wedding photo ideas. Funny, isn’t it, how after becoming an MOB, your eyes and ears perk up to a whole new world of sights and sounds you barely noticed before. And you know what? I have fun presenting you with a small part of that whole new world!

Today I’m super excited to share this “Show Off the Ring” engagement photo idea because I absolutely love it. I love how the couple is holding hands and how the ring is the central focus of the photo. I love how the dark clothes the bride and groom-to-be are wearing provide a dramatic color contrast for the light color of the ring. It’s perfect for making the ring stand out and truly sparkle. The bokeh effect in the background also adds to the ring being the star of the show, doesn’t it? And to top it all off, this is a super simple shot to make happen.

If you love this simple yet dramatic way to show of the ring as much as I do, MOB, why not send this blog post link to your daughter and let her take a look. I’m predicting she’ll love it as well and suggest it to their photographer when the time comes. What fun it will be to see the shot come alive with your sweet girl and the love of her life! Enjoy, MOB!

Mother of the Bride, I’m sure you’ve noticed the adult coloring book craze that’s swept the nation the past year or so. I haven’t jumped on the bandwagon myself yet, but I know lots of folks have and are thoroughly enjoying relaxing through coloring.

Since relaxation is something every mother of the bride longs for (and needs to work into her schedule), why not try coloring, MOB? If you enjoyed coloring as a kid, I bet you’ll love it now, too. And if you didn’t really care about coloring in your younger years, you could still give it a try. After all, we change as we grow older and often develop new hobbies and interests.

Adult coloring books can be found almost anywhere books or crafts are sold now, both in stores and online. BroadStreet Publishing, the publisher of my book Mother of the Bride, is one of many publishers offering adult coloring books. The photo above shows a few of the ones they offer—The 5 Love Languages® coloring book, Beside Still Waters, Cattitudes, and This Is the Day the Lord Has Made.

If you’re ready to relax and refresh through coloring, MOB, here are links to the coloring books BroadStreet offers as well as some links to the coloring books my blogging and artist friend Jana Botkin offers on her website. Hope you find one you’d like to try!

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early November. One current or new subscriber will win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble so don’t miss out. Sign-up is free and to the right!

Not only will that extra attention to detail add to the bride’s and groom’s delight in the day, it will make for a great memory and a super fun photo as well. Isn’t the shot above adorable? A bride and groom who will coordinate their shoes and socks are quite a pair (pun intended!) already, aren’t they?

So show this photo to your happy couple, MOB, and see if they are up for this kind of shoe and sock zaniness. If it fits their personalities at all, they’ll be glad to let a bit of their fun-loving spirits loose through their feet on Wedding Day. Let the fun begin!

May is here and the glory of spring surrounds us, doesn’t it? Green is not just peeking any longer. It’s in full swing, setting the perfect emerald backdrop for the bursts of color the spring flowers are treating us to. Yes, glory surrounds.

Leafy fullness adorns our trees once again. No little buds just teasing us with what’s to come. We listen and hear the leaves swish in the breeze, we are energized by their testimony to life. Yes, glory surrounds.

Spring has brought more of our favorite birds back to us as well. They sing, they dash to and fro, busy with building this season’s homes. They remind us of the wonder of nature, the miracle of creation, and the mighty God who is responsible for it all. The loving God who shares it all with us. Yes, indeed, glory surrounds.

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers . . . what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him.” Psalm 8:3a,4

*What’s your favorite part of spring’s glory?

*The new issue of Life Notes, my inspirational quarterly newsletter, came out earlier this week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

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Meet Cheryl

Faith. Family. Friends. Serving God. All of these things are important to me. Being a writer is one of the ways I live out my faith and serve the One who first loved me. My prayer is that you will be refreshed as you join me on my journey. Read More…